Experts Disagree on Rink Safety

February 27, 2014

Ron Peterson

The Culver City Police Department has stationed a patrol car at the now closed Culver City Ice Arena. Closed commercial buildings are targets for vandals and squatters and the police did not want to take any chances of an accidental release of chemicals.

By Lynne Bronstein

Observer Reporter

Is the Culver City Ice Arena safe to reopen and operate? No, according to the city's report on the facility. Yes, according to a letter that was posted last week on the ice rink supporter's Facebook page. Yes in the short term, No in the long term, according to a letter sent to the city by the same consultant who wrote the letter that found the rink safe.

Hope for the arena's future sprung up last week following a contentious City Council meeting at which reports on the ice rink's safety by Fire Chief Chris Sellers and Fire Marshall Mike Bowden were met with skepticism and even hisses.

Suspicious supporters found comfort when a letter from refrigeration safety consultant Complete Thermal Services was posted to "Save Culver City Ice Rink" by Nadine Lewis, the attorney for the Takahashi family that operates the Ice Arena.

In this letter, company president William L. Clements reported on the findings of his employee John Ulfeldt's survey of the arena's refrigeration system taken on February 11, nine days after the facility was closed.

"The ammonia system is currently operating properly," said Clements' letter. "The system was installed approximately 50 years ago; however, not all the components of the system are that old. The evaporative condenser was replaced in 1988 and the chiller was replaced in 1995. The compressors are the original compressors; however, they have been repaired and/or rebuilt as needed over the years."

No leaks were found in the ammonia system. Some leaks that existed in the brine system have been repaired.

The Complete Thermal report concluded that there is no danger at this time from the ammonia system but it did recommend the installation of an underfloor heating system for the ice rink or the installation of a new ice rink floor which would include the underfloor heating system.

Lewis told Culver City web site TheFrontPageOnline that she spent time with Ulfeldt at the Ice Arena where he took her on a tour of some of the equipment. She stated that she believed his many years of experience as well as the stats favoring the rink's safety (there has never been a 911 call to the city from the rink as opposed to other ice rinks).

Lewis noted however on the Facebook page that Complete Thermal Services was also being retained as a consultant by the city. And on February 17, Clements sent a letter to City Manager John Nachbar, as well as to Sellers and Bowden, in which he seemed to have turned around on his opinion of the facility's safety.

"While some have inferred the rink is safe to operate in its current condition for up to 10 years, that is not the case," said the letter.

"As I have stated, the rink should only be operated in its current condition on a short-term basis, which realistically is no more than six months.

"Any operation beyond that would require significant repairs and upgrades to be made to the refrigeration system."

Six months is the time allotted for the lease on the property by the Takahashi family, an arrangement made last week just before the council meeting. The previously announced lessee, rock climbing business Planet Granite, whose plans for renovating the building had originally necessitated the closure and overhaul of the ice rink, cancelled its lease agreement a few days ago.

Another development has been the installation of 24-hour police guards around the arena building at 45 Sepulveda Boulevard. There was reportedly a break-in on February 13 at the site.

On February 14 the City Attorney's office sent a letter to Mike Karagozian, owner of the facility, informing him that he had not filed a closure plan and that the city was within its rights to order him to "vacate" and to "abate public nuisance(s) and unsafe conditions."

According to the city report on the Ice Arena, the city had required Karagozian to file a facility closure plan within 30 days. Despite continued contacts from the city, the plan was not filed as the owner had said that the new lessee (Planet Granite) would take charge of that.

Condenser Vessel Corrosion

"Recognizing the complexity of the situation, the City consulted with experts in the fields of ice rink operation, refrigeration system, and environmental remediation to obtain experienced assistance in the safe decommissioning process," said the city report.

The City Manager was then referred to Clements, who "conveyed that the Refrigeration System was at or near the end of its useful life. He also outlined what would be required to safely remove the anhydrous ammonia present in the system and the complications that would present themselves with the melting of the ice and the importance of making sure the Refrigeration System is not turned off before the anhydrous ammonia can be safely removed."

As a consequence, the city is taking the actions it deems necessary for public safety.

The Takahashis still hope to reopen the facility on March 1 but as of now, it is uncertain what way things will go for the longer picture.

Reader Comments

Vreeland writes:

The whole thing is a shame. The arena did not have to close. George Vreeland Hill

03/15/2014, 7:46 pm

Gwen writes:

Excellent, now every time I drive by the shut down rink on my way to Torrance, to climb my fake rocks, I am reminded that the skaters driving to El Segundo can share a bit of my pain. Bitter sweet. Unless AEG buys it, it'll end up turning into a bunch of condos or a Walmart anyway. Thank you ice skaters! After you rejoice and pack the rink for 2 whole months it will return to that the run down abandoned state it was in for decades.

02/24/2014, 3:28 pm

Bill writes:

www.facebook.com/culvericefoundation

02/24/2014, 7:57 am

BrookePowell writes:

I have every confidence that the rink will re-open once problems are addressed. I had zero confidence that Planet Granite would have thrived in that space had they spent the time and money to change the zoning, which could have taken a year or more. If you want to climb fake rocks, there's a climbing wall on the side of the YMCA in Westchester that I pass every time I now have to take my child to El Segundo to train at the Toyota Center while Culver is closed.

02/20/2014, 11:39 am

fgshf writes:

Congratulations to the people who cried to their rulers on the Culver City counsel. You interfered with a private transaction on someone else's property. Now the rink you love is shut down. The business that wanted to invest in our neighborhood is gone. We have a vacant building waiting for vandals, no place to skate, no place to climb and a handful of small time politicians patting themselves on the back because they did something about your pet issue.